So has Toseland lived up to his promise this year?

[rhinochopig]

I have to say, much as really like James as rider and a person, I was expected (perhaps unfairly) a bit more from him than 6th place this year, especially after such an auspicious start (ok he may go on and improve on that position in one of the last three races).

I really hope that this year is just a year of learning and that he will get more competitive but, other than his aggressive overtaking early on, I don't recall seeing any of the speed he regularly showed in his WSB campaigns.

What does everyone else think? Can he be a contender next year?

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 30th September 15:29

[Sossige]

I'm hoping that if the single tyre rules to come into force, that JT will be able to show an improvement. I have no doubt he is faster and can show that, but I'm sure the Michelins have not helped.

S

[FourWheelDrift]

I think he has been impressive this year, considering most circuits are new to him he's not been too far off Colin Edwards pace and even beating him as some. Tyres have been a let down though.

I'm sure the factory Fiat Yamaha's have had more development than the Tech3 bikes this year, especially as they showed such good pace at Qatar. They'll probably have Lorenzo spec bikes first time out next year so if they are to get any good results they'll have to do it early on, then try and maintain the points, staying in Yamaha's eye line and demanding upgrades as soon as possible throughout the year. A strong Honda and Duacti team challenge will mean Yamaha would be wanting all their bikes higher up in the constructors points.

Toseland, year 1 - 7/10

I'd rate his performance 3rd to other rookies Lorenzo and Dovizioso, again because they had previous knowledge of all the circuits, but ahead of other more established regulars.

[rhinochopig]

Sossige said:

I'm hoping that if the single tyre rules to come into force, that JT will be able to show an improvement. I have no doubt he is faster and can show that, but I'm sure the Michelins have not helped.

S

I want to think that, but Colin has blown him away on several occasions now (ok, ok, he's got considerably more experience, but on a lot of tracks the two have been quite evenly matched). I know he'll get faster, but he hasn't shown that spark yet that the truly great riders have. He seems to have hit the limit of his talent at the moment and I guess it's whether he can find that extra speed from somewhere. If he does, he should be a contender as he's pretty consistent if you look at his results.

[Motorrad]

Has done well but needs to improve if he's to show what I think is his true worth.

Can't underestimate the difficulty of changing to motoGP. If he doesn't do significantly better next year with more experience of the bike and circuits he'll just be another who couldn't make the transition.

[veetwin]

To see an improvement on this years result I fear that he will have to make a move to a full Works bike. I can't see this happening though.

Can you imagine in 2009, ooh JT is leading the championship after 3 rounds on a Satellite Yamaha......


Ees nice guy and we make a great battle but ees necessary that ee stops making dangerous passes. Also, ees not Creecket that ees bike makes the good laptimes. Furusawa-san, stop geeving the good parts to these Superbikers.

Back to 6th then in 2009!!

[Johno]

I think you have to ask how many satellite teambikes/riders have wona race in the last 2-3 seasons. Elias and Melandri spring to mind.

After that you have a combination of tyres, bike development and circuit knowledge hampering his ability to shine.

Circuit knowledge is a huge factor when you've got the not so easy task of trying to find a base set up for the new bike you're riding.

I think Phillip Island will be a good overall assessment of his position in MotoGP relevent to the othe sallite rideers.

He knows the circuit very well, Michelins go well enough round there, he's even beaten Bayliss there and should have a base set up at this stage of the season, so everything is in his favour.

He did very well at Qatar, failed to shine at Donington (although not a circuit arguably he knows as well as Phillip Island).

So let's see after this weekends performance. I think 7/10 is a fair reflection.

[Sossige]

Well, I'm sure that JTs performance over the weekend will have been a big two fingered salute to his critics

Overtaking Rossi under braking - proves he's got what it takes in MotoGP when he knows the circuit. Good on ya JT

[996 sps]

He did get past Rossi but once Rossi got past himit was bye bye, I want Toesland to do well and think he is a talent but if he don't preform next year its bye bye Moto GP!

[Rawwr]

996 sps said:

He did get past Rossi but once Rossi got past himit was bye bye,

True but how much of that weighting can be attributed to rapidly diminishing Michelins? Whilst I don't hold hold Toseland in the same regard as Rossi when it comes to talent, I feel it wasn't 100% of the equation at Phillip Island.

996 sps said:

I want Toesland to do well and think he is a talent but if he don't preform next year its bye bye Moto GP!

I think Toseland may be there for a while. It's not like he's the new James Ellison or something.

[996 sps]

Rawwr said:

996 sps said:

He did get past Rossi but once Rossi got past himit was bye bye,

True but how much of that weighting can be attributed to rapidly diminishing Michelins? Whilst I don't hold hold Toseland in the same regard as Rossi when it comes to talent, I feel it wasn't 100% of the equation at Phillip Island.

996 sps said:

I want Toesland to do well and think he is a talent but if he don't preform next year its bye bye Moto GP!

I think Toseland may be there for a while. It's not like he's the new James Ellison or something.

Agree he is not the new James Ellison I just think Moto GP is so cut throat to our riders McWilliams got an awesome podium in 2000 on the 500's and a couple of pole positions soon got binned though. Want JT to do well I really do just hope next year he can preform.

[Rawwr]

I think the other reason Toseland will stay is because, with the exception of Rossi, he's probably the most marketable rider on the grid.

[Chipchap]

As always "The fastest riders are in the grandstand/armchair" delete as reqd.
its easy to be critical. How many on here think that they can ride a bike well? then be a heroe at atrackday, then win at clublevel, then Nationals, then Internationals, then onto the world stage on WSS and WSB and finally to Moto GP. Most have not got a clue what it takes to extract the last few % from a Moto GP bike.



So less negativity more positivity:

He is British
On reasonable machinery he can fight for top 5 every weekend

Support him or there will be no British talent to watch soon


CC

[homicide]

For me, he has done exceptionally well all things considered, after all he hasnt ridden a lot of the tracks, and to be fair, the level in moto gp compared to wsb is that much higher! so for next year we can expect an improvement on this i think!

[AdeTuono]

26 points behind a very experienced Edwards, in his first year, on largely unknown tracks? Hardly something to be ashamed of, is it? I would have thought Edwards would be more likely to be jettisoned on that basis.

[abarber]

He's the third best rookie this year.

Average, he's a champion so this won't be good enough. At all.

[castrolcraig]

dunno, but he looks good on the front of my dads website.

[podman]

abarber said:

He's the third best rookie this year.

Average, he's a champion so this won't be good enough. At all.

Agreed, he always be a "contender" for top 5th/6th but actually more likely achieve 6th-8th> ,as said above,he is the "worst" ,if thats the right term,of the rookies this year, if he's lucky he may well get on a podium once or twice in his MotoGP career but he's never,ever going to win the championship IMHO, he's just not the outstanding natural talent that you need to be to win or get on the podium in MotoGP on a regular basis.

When Bradley gets his pubes and his balls drop we may be in for a shout.

[paul_tim2000]

I like him but I have to agree that I don't think he'll ever win the championship. On the other hand you can probably say the same about the majority of the riders who lined up this weekend.
He showed this week he had the pace, and racecraft, to run with everyone other than the first three, and not on a full works bike at that.
I guess he'll be around for a few more years, he's very marketable, so should be able to attract the sponsorship, and I hope we'll see him finish on the podium next year.

[Jetl3on]

Not a fan of JT, on account of all of the OTT remarks made early in the season, but impressed with Phillip island ride, he is where i expected him to be for his talent. Hope to see more of the same spirit from other riders when Rossi tries to pass, then we will see some entertaining races.